IMPLEMENTATION

REPORT
2002 - 2003

UNESCOs Programme for Creative Content

Projects Implemented in 2002 - 2003

UNESCO Activities

UNESCOs Programme for Creative Content

Summary of Projects Implemented in 2002 2003
Training Activities:
Asian television documentary workshop organized with ABU and Korean
Broadcasting System
Organization of training courses for the educational TV staff in El Salvador
Training courses organized for the Macedonian News Agency
Scriptwriting workshop for TV fiction in Sri Lanka in collaboration with ScriptNet
Oral Testimony Life History Radio Programme Training and Production in Gambia,
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria, in cooperation with Panos Institute West
Africa
Support for an African Item Exchange for Childrens Television Programmes in
collaboration with Prix Jeunesse, URTNA, SABA and UNICEF
Organization of a World Forum on Local Cultural Expression and Communication, in
collaboration with CLT and FED
Training seminar on Childrens Programming in Albania organized with Prix
Jeunesse for Eastern European producers and programmers
Development of video training tutorials for independent filmmakers in cooperation
with the Public Service Broadcasting Trust in India (PSBT)
Production Activities:
Co-production of Cambodian film S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine , in
cooperation with French INA and Arte
Supported film and television schools of India, Burkina Faso, Romania, Israel and
Mexico for the production of short fiction films on intercultural dialogue
Production of Le dilemme dEya (Togo, 2003)
Production of 56-minute documentary A Story of People in War and Peace
(Armenia, 2003)
Production of Great Spectacles! (Nigeria, 2002)
Production of La Lutte contre les pauvres (Mali, 2002)
Production of Afro@digital (Congo, 2000), a documentary on the digital revolution
in Africa
Distribution/Dissemination/Showcasing Activities:
Showcasing of African documentaries on conflicts in Central Africa and the Great
Lakes region during the International Conference on Intercultural Dialogue and
Culture of Peace
Travel case sent to Samoa for broadcasting on Womens Day
Travel case with 100 productions offered to Radio Television Afghanistan
Organization of Open Frame 2003 in India, an international forum on public service
broadcasting and cultural diversity
Submission of two documentary films from Togo and Congo to the Festival Medias
Nord-Sud
Submission of two documentary films from Congo and Cambodia to URTIs Grand
Prize Festival, silver medal awarded
Setting-up of a UNESCOs Audiovisual E-Platform, containing high quality
productions from Africa, Asia and Latin America

Training and Production Activities

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) / UNESCO

Workshop for Asian TV Content Makers
A TV Documentary Workshop, organized by UNESCO and the Asia-Pacific
Broadcasting Union (ABU) and hosted by the Korean Broadcasting System
(KBS), took place in Suwon and Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 10 to 14 June
2003. It was attended by 30 producers from 14 different Asian countries:
Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Korea,
Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Organized around the theme of TV portraits or personality profiles, the event
comprised three distinct parts:
a workshop consisting of screening of and debates on television programmes
produced by the participants and proposed to ABU for exchange;
a Special Training Session showcasing outstanding TV portrait models (or
personality profiles) from all over the world, with emphasis on unusual
international content providers; and
an on-demand service, with additional challenging programmes coming from
all regions of the world (with a focus on Africa, Asia and Latin America) for the
viewing
and
professional
enrichment
of
participants.
The main objective of this activity was to:
improve the exchange of television content among participating Asian
countries;
provide a training opportunity to the participants through the analysis of their
own works, as well as the work of other professionals from around the globe.

Training Activities

Cultural and Educational TV Making in El Salvador

UNESCO supported the Television Cultural Educativa of El Salvador by
providing a team of two highly recognized filmmakers, who held an intensive
training program for the channels production staff, including its directors,
cameramen and scriptwriters.
The project focused on scriptwriting for cultural programmes, providing new
ideas, new formats and innovative approaches to different social and cultural
subjects, which present new challenges to the Salvadorian public. The training
programme also covered indoor and outdoor camera work and the treatment of
images and sounds. The trainers also offered advice on the use of sound
recording equipment, proper application of music and sound effects, as well as
an overview of digital sound treatment.
The practical phase of the training included actual exercise of scriptwriting,
filming, editing, post-production, evaluation and improvement of the
participants work. Young professionals and female directors were given the
highest priority in this programme.

Training Activities

Training Courses Organized For Macedonian Information Agency

UNESCO organized several cycles of training courses for the current and
future correspondents of the Macedonian Information Agency (MIA).
The project included training focused on the introduction of basic journalism
practices for MIAs future and current correspondents, who also work for the
local media. There was a special focus on the journalists role in times of
crises, especially in conflict situations like that of Macedonia in 2001.
The main goal of this project was to improve professionalism of the MIA
correspondents, including avoidance of manipulation. Different issues were
also covered such as journalistic practices, non-partisan information coverage,
objectivity, ethics and professional conduct particularly during social crisis,
conflict and war and promoting social participation of local communities.
Some one hundred MIA professionals benefited from these training courses.

Training and Production Activities

FILMING THE PEACE PROCESS IN SRI LANKA:

Tamil and Singhalese Scripts Ready for Production
Responding to the lack of dramatised work about the war and peace process in
Sri Lanka, UNESCO is supporting the production of locally written, directed
and produced short films in this country. The objective is to strengthen
creativity and to help so far undiscovered Tamil film-makers to get access to
the mainstream TV and film industry.
UNESCOs support is provided within the framework of larger development
project Reel Peace that is being implemented by ScriptNet, a UK based
training charity and production company, in collaboration with the Sri Lankan
Media Training Institute and the University of Jaffna, with the support by the
British Council and UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Reel Peaces aim
is to foster an integrated Tamil and Singhalese media through the training of
directors, producers and scriptwriters, increasing the technical capacity of the
Sri
Lankan
TV
and
film
industry.
Four short films are expected to be produced before the end of 2003. UNESCO
and ScriptNet will then show-case the Sri Lankan talent to an international
audience .

Training and Production Activities

Gambia-Sierra Leone-Liberia-Ghana-Nigeria: Oral Testimony Life

History Radio Programme Training and Production in cooperation with
Panos Institute West Africa
UNESCO collaborated with the Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA) for an Oral
Testimony training and production project, resulting in 12 radio documentaries
produced and broadcasted through some 300 community radio stations in
eight Western African countries. The PIWA works with media and civil society
organizations to strengthen a culture of peace and democracy.
Oral testimonies are radio documentaries that treat several topics depicting
different ethnic and religious groups and how they interface, integrate and
reconcile in a changing environment. The methodology of oral testimony is
based on a specific interview method using testimonies of the local
populations.
This training and production project focused on the life of youngsters in a
complex and multicultural surrounding. Through these radio programmes, the
views of the youngsters themselves, often ignored by traditional urban media,
are expressed. The ultimate objective of this initiative was to increase
intercultural awareness and sensitising young generations on humanitys need
for tolerance, dialogue and peace.
This project was supported within the framework of UNESCOs international
venture Intensifying the Dialogue among Communities, Cultures and
Civilizations.

Training Activities

African Item Exchange for Childrens Television Programmes in

Botswana
UNESCO contributed to the organization of the African Item Exchange for
Childrens Television Programmes together with Prix Jeunesse and in
collaboration with the Union of National Radio and Television Organizations of
Africa (URTNA), SABA and UNICEF.
The African Item Exchange brought childrens television programme
producers from a selection of African countries to spearhead the production of
authentic and high quality television programmes for their respective
audiences. Problems faced by childrens television producers and programmes
in Africa are the limited budgets made available by African TV stations to
produce childrens programmes; the import of a high number of childrens
programmes; difficulties in getting the desired airtime; undermined importance
of childrens programming ; and the lack of equipment and human resources.
The organization of workshops such as the African Item Exchange is an attempt
to provide a low-cost mechanism for programme item exchange and
production; increasing levels of local content made available to African
children.
The event took place in Gabarone, Botswana in October 2003. UNESCO
facilitated the participation of African producers from their different television
stations in this ICT-enhanced training and exchange experience.

Training Activities

World Forum on Local Cultural Expression and Communication

Dominican Republic, 3-6 November 2003
UNESCO organized an international forum on local cultural expression and
communication in Dominican Republic on 3-6 November 2003, in
collaboration with CLT and FED. The forum tackled issues such as
safeguarding endangered cultures through communication; producing local
content as an expression of cultural diversity; and promoting communication
policies with an emphasis on cultural diversity and local content.
The forum gathered prominent scholars and practitioners to discuss the
following issues:
Research and other initiatives, as well as best practices for
safeguarding and promoting marginalized indigenous cultures
Production of a common set of guidelines for ethical research or
project
Concrete proposals for UNESCO activities for the safeguarding of
marginalized indigenous cultures
The roles and strategies of communication for cultural expression and
intercultural dialogue
Globalization and the expression of local cultures: the current trends
and terms of local content production and dissemination in Asia,
Africa, Europe and Latin America
Promotion of the expression of cultural diversity through the
identification and mobilisation of successful local content networks
and models

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Training Activities

Training Seminar on Childrens Programming For Eastern European Producers

Albania, October 2003
UNESCO collaborated with Stiftung Prix Jeunesse International in the
organization of a training seminar on childrens programming for the Eastern
European region.
Key television producers of childrens programming in the region, including
professionals working for public service broadcasters and independent
producers, will participate in a high-level training course aimed at upgrading
the professional skills of producers of childrens programming.
The training course was hands-on and based on actual screenings of
successful, educational and culturally diverse childrens programmes. At the
same time, a hands-on training course on scriptwriting was also held.

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Training and Production Activities

Video Production Basics for Independent Filmmakers

UNESCO and the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) of India produced
a series of instructional how to videos that introduces potential and
practicing filmmakers to the elements of independent documentary film
production, particularly its processes and techniques.
The objective of this training and production project was to facilitate the
democratisation of content by providing basic and easily comprehensible selftraining materials that are inexpensively distributed to potential content
creators and to provide basic, conceptual and technical understanding of the
uses and techniques of audio-visual film production with a focus on the
independent documentary.
The six instructional video tutorials, accompanied by training manuals, teach
video production basics for independent filmmakers and for those working in
community media, public service and public access broadcasting.

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Production Activities

UNESCO-Supported Film on Genocide in Cambodia

Silver Medalist, Monte Carlo TV Festival
Selected Feature Film, Cannes Film Festival 2003
S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine, directed by Cambodian filmmaker
Rithy Panh and produced by the French Institut National de lAudiovisuel
(INA) and Arte was awarded the silver medal by the Jury of the 22 nd URTI
International Grand Prix for Documentaries in the framework of the 43 rd Monte
Carlo Television Festival and was selected and featured in the Cannes Film
Festival in 2003.
The breath-taking film, supported within the framework of UNESCOs
Programme for Creative Content, builds up from the individual memories of
victims and killers from the Khmer Rouge period providing an unprecedented
contribution to the building of the collective memory of Cambodian society. It
is a stunning illustration of how cinema and television can help a society search
for answers and ultimately better understand history and humankind, as
filmmaker Ritty Panh brought survivors and former killers from a torture and
extermination camp in Phnom Penh face to face to discuss and compare their
eye-witness accounts.
The film has two major objectives: to be an authoritative film about the Pol Pot
regime, and to be a deep reflection on more general issues arising from the
experience of genocide, such as survival, guilt and denial. It is as a filmmaker
that Rithy Panh films memory and not as a public prosecutor, investigator,
victim or researcher; avoiding stereotypes, statistics, vague questions of
civilization and facile conclusions.

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Production Activities

REEL INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

UNESCO Production of Five Short Fiction Films
Made by Students from India, Mexico, Israel, Romania and Burkina Faso
Short fiction films from selected television and film schools of Mexico, Israel,
India, Romania and Burkina Faso were produced by UNESCO for the
international project Intensifying the dialogue between communities, cultures
and civilizations.
The project, launched early this year, is a series of independent, fiction films
without dialogues that deliver the young filmmakers vision of humanity in
peace and harmony dedicated to the international community . The films were
created with the intention of increasing intercultural understanding and
sensitising young people to tolerance, dialogue and peace. Such messages
were delivered in very different and interesting ways depending on the diverse
cultural backgrounds of the selected countries.
One of the aims of this project was to provide an opportunity to cinema and
television schools to use their most talented students to produce local content
for young people reflecting local perspectives on global issues. Indeed, the
young filmmakers have not disappointed the international community: the
quality of their films are very commendable, the content of their films grab the
viewers attention and question our societys ways and beliefs of handling
conflict, inspiring a fresh perspective on non-violent, alternative means on
conflict resolution.
UNESCO and the Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinma et de
Tlvision (CILECT) disseminated the final productions to national and
international media as well as to various educational institutions worldwide.
These short films are also available in an interactive UNESCO-linked website.

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Production Activities

The Dilemma of Eya (Togo, 2003)

The Dilemma of Eya (Le dilemme dEya), a 26 fiction film directed by Adjik
Assouma from Togo and produced by UNESCO, was awarded two special jury
prizes (UEMOA and Plan International) at the Pan African Festival of Cinema
and Television (FESPACO), whose 18th edition took place in Ouagadougou,
Burkina Faso, from 22 February to 1 March 2003.
Moreover, the film was selected for screening at the International Public
Service Television Conference (INPUT) held in Aarhus, Denmark from 11 to 16
May 2003.

Le dilemme dEya tells a story about a girl who is forced to follow traditional
voodoo practices at the cost of her education, her family and her life. The film
aims at sensitising the public about the consequences of preventing women
from being educated and having their own identity, while denouncing the living
conditions of young street-porters working at the margins of society.
The film was produced within the framework of UNESCOs Programme for
Creative Content, which aims at encouraging the production and dissemination
of creative content in developing countries. Its recognition at the international
level proves once more that local content is not only appreciated by local
audiences but also by a global public.

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Production Activities

A Story of People in War and Peace

(Armenia, 2003)
UNESCO supported the production of a 56-minute documentary from
Armenia, entitled A Story of People in War and Peace. This film takes its
audience back to the time of the Karabagh War (1989-1994), interviewing
soldiers, nurses and ordinary people who survived the war.
This documentary is not about the view of war as seen in news clips but a
journey of ones self through each event of wartime. The filmmaker strongly
believes that only through such uninterrupted contact could the audience
engage in a kind of dialogue with the victims of the war. Moreover, this film is
not in the form of investigative journalism but more of a collective memory
exercise, as it is based on the archival footage collected during the war and the
new footage of the same people sharing their reflections on the war ten years
after.

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Production Activities

Traditional Music of Nigeria : A Documentary

Grands Spectacles!, a documentary about the traditional music of different
ethnic groups of Nigeria, was a production supported by UNESCO. The
documentary featured the different types of ethnic music in the country, such
as LApala, Le Sakara, Le Waka and LAgidibo.
Each of the music genre tells a story about their respective ethnic groups.
Music is used as a common language to tell stories or to recite proverbs.
Ancient notions are revived through the playing of music, while it also serves as
a channel to preserve moral values within communities. Some ethnic music
narrates historical tales that is passed on from one generation to the next.
The documentary exhibits the importance of the role of music in preserving the
rich traditional culture and history of the Nigerian peoples.

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Production Activities

La Lutte contre les Pauvres (Mali, 2002)

La Lutte contre les Pauvres (the fight against the poor), a 26 fiction film
directed by Boubacar Sidibe from Mali and co-produced by UNESCO together
with Brico Films and Sarama Films, was awarded a special prize at the Pan
African Festival of Cinema and Television (FESPACO), whose 18th edition took
place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 22 February to 1 March 2003. The
fiction film was also shown twice on the national television station ORTM.
The film, like the title suggests, is about how certain actions that are believed to
fight poverty are actually detrimental to the poor themselves. Different topics
are brought up through the course of the film such as fear of discrimination
and xenophobia, and the struggle to break free from social marginalization.

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Production Activities

Afro@digital: A Documentary on the Digital Revolution in Africa

Afro@digital, a 52-minute documentary directed by Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda of
the Democratic Republic of Congo and produced by UNESCO, looks at the
promise
ICTs
hold
for
Africa.
Statistics show that Africa is well behind the rest of the world in terms of
information technologies. But the numbers fail to show the original ways
Africans are using the little that is available. Afro@digital fills this gap.
In Afro@digital, a marabout explains that he no longer replies by letter to
questions put to him by Africans living abroad. Rather he uses his mobile
phone, which he carries with him at all times. Another eloquent illustration of
the digital revolution in Africa is the rise of Internet cafs. In Bamako, the
capital of Mali, the number of Internet cafs increased from one to 100 within
the space of a year. However, the Internet caf phenomenon reveals that more
research is needed on the impact of ICT in the African continent to get a true
picture of the situation.
Despite the difficulties involved in developing ICT in Africa, filmmaker Balufu
Bakupa-Kanyinda is optimistic. Afro@digital demonstrates how Africa is making
progress with information and communication technology.

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Distribution / Dissemination / Showcasing Activities

The International Conference on Intercultural Dialogue and Peace

In Central Africa and the Great Lakes Region:
A FILMMAKERS FORUM
UNESCO organized the International Conference on Intercultural Dialogue and
Peace in Central Africa and the Great Lakes Region that took event in Libreville,
Gabon in November 2003. The primary objective of this conference was the
prevention and resolution of conflicts through intercultural dialogue and
peace.
Within this conference UNESCO organized a filmmakers forum and public
screenings that showcased four documentaries about the conflicts in the
region: Ikiza, Unit et Guerre Civile au Burundi (Burundi, 1994); Dissidence
(Angola, 1998); Rwanda, pour memoire (Rwanda, 2003) and Une Rpublique
devenue folle: Rwanda 1894-1994 (Rwanda, 1996). These documentaries
provided an analysis of the conflicts and the opportunity for the filmmaker to
play a role in addressing issues of international concern.
The following subjects were discussed in the conference:
Television as a tool for intercultural dialogue
The use of audiovisual means to form a collective memory
The role played by the media before and after conflict
The image of neighbouring peoples as prescribed in the documentaries
The production and dissemination of local content in the region as a way to better
understand people of other cultures and communities
The artist and director as vehicles of expression and analysis of various societal
issues

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Distribution/Dissemination/Showcasing Activities

UNESCO Provides CreaTV travel case

to TV Samoa on Womens Day 2002
UNESCO provided a selection of high-quality productions from China (Tong
LIs A Man with HIV), Pakistan (Farjad Nabis Now is More Like A Man),
Uruguay (Daniela Speranzas Mala Racha) and Zimbabwe (Prudence Uriris
Soul in Torment) to TV Samoa for a special broadcast in the week that started
on the International Womens Day (8 March 2002). The productions, both
fiction and documentary; were made by women or dealt with the construction
of masculinity and femininity in contemporary societies. TV Samoa completed
the special broadcast with productions locally made or coming from
neighbouring islands.
CreaTV travel cases are regularly compiled by UNESCO in order to provide
concrete examples of creative and public service-oriented television coming
from countries that are unusual content providers (Africa, Asia and Latin
America). It may include any television format such as fiction (sitcoms, drama,
telefilms, soaps, etc.), documentary or magazines and may be used for training
seminars and workshops, cultural events, public sensitisation activities and
when rights are negotiated, special broadcasting sessions. Borrowers of
CreaTV travel cases must be non-profit organizations or institutions with a
clear public mandate.
The objective of this Samoan operation was to encourage the exchange of
television content among countries, which are unusual content providers but
which have much to offer in content at national, regional and international
levels. This series of programmes made it possible for the public in Samoa to
appreciate the creativity and talent of thought-provoking television producers
from far away regions, which while portraying other cultures, stimulate
reflection on universal issues.

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Distribution/Dissemination/Showcasing Activities

UNESCO Launched Collection of Quality Programming

For Radio-Television Afghanistan
UNESCO's global CreaTV television initiative made 102 quality television
programmes
available
to
Radio-Television
Afghanistan.
Speaking during the donation ceremony, UNESCO's Representative in
Afghanistan, Martin Hadlow, said that the television package included
documentaries, children's series, fiction, animation and educational
programmes. "CreaTV is UNESCO's creative television project that seeks to
encourage local television production" he said. "At the same time, it tries to
introduce the work of producers in developing countries to a wider global
audience".
The 102 programmes supplied to Radio-Television Afghanistan included
documentaries from Niger, Jamaica, Fiji, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, fiction
from Nepal, Mexico and Uruguay and children's series from Denmark and
Germany.
UNESCO purchased the rights to the television programmes for two years and
made the video-tapes available free of charge to Radio-Television Afghanistan.

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Training and Dissemination/Showcasing Activities

Organization of the Open Frame 2003

An International Forum on Public Service Broadcasting and Cultural Diversity
New Delhi, India, 21-27 August 2003
The Open Frame 2003 was organized by UNESCO and the Pubic Service
Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) of India, in partnership with the Prasar Bharti in
New Delhi from August 21-27, 2003.
The event was an international forum that showcased 50 unique, public service
oriented television productions from Africa, Latin America, Middle East and
Asia, reflecting the diversity of audio-visual production around the world and
the marvellous potential of television when put at the service of the citizens.
Television professionals from 15 countries participated in discussions
concerning public service broadcasting issues, such as the relationship of
television to history, education, development, women, conflict and justice. A
workshop on scriptwriting for local professionals was sponsored by the British
Council.
PSBT is an NGO determined to create a democratic broadcast culture in India
and to engage the international filmmaking community in a dialogue, creating a
dynamic atmosphere that would encourage greater expression of local talent
and an intercultural exchange of ideas and thoughts.
Given the success of this years forum, PSBT intends to make it an annual event
in India, offering an alternative to the commercially driven Bollywood market.
The forum had a significant impact on several governmental and nongovernmental institutions as well as the general Delhi public. Distribution
companies, specializing in quality non-fiction entertainment for the region and
overseas, already offered to purchase some of the programmes showcased in
India.
Some of the showcased films in the Open Frame 2003 are available in
UNESCOs Multicultural Audiovisual E- Catalogue: An Online Audiovisual
Platform for Independent Authors.

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Distribution/Dissemination/Showcasing Activities

UNESCO submission of documentary films to The North-South Media Festival and the
International Television Grand Prix
UNESCO submitted the documentaries The Dilemma of Eya (Togo, 2003) and
Afrodigital (Congo, 2002) to the 19th North-South Media Festival in Geneva.
The North-South Media Festival is a yearly television film festival that allows
better circulation of documentary films between the North-South divide and
among cultural disparities, giving importance to the questions of development,
freedom and expression of human rights.
Rithy Panhs S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine garnered the silver medal
in the URTIs International Grand Prix for Documentaries. LUniversit
Radiophonique et Tlvisuelle Internationale (URTI) awards each year
documentary television programs that stand out as an original and high-quality
productions, and which have made the greatest contribution to the handling of
the cultural or the social matters. Above all, it has placed the emphasis on the
work of directors over the world. Afrodigital was also featured in the same
event.
However, the most outstanding exposure came through the prestigious Cannes
Film Festival, which made the S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine part of
its official selection in 2003.

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Distribution/Dissemination/Showcasing Activities

UNESCOs Audiovisual E-Platform :

A Multicultural Online Catalogue for Independent Producers and Broadcasters
UNESCOs Audiovisual E-Platform is a multicultural, online catalogue for
independent producers and broadcasters, with more than 100 very
challenging, unusually creative and highly innovative productions from Africa,
Asia, Latin America and Europe.
The platform consists of recently directed documentaries, short fiction films
and television magazines that are original in form and content, beyond the
conventional forms of television language as well as genuine expression of
culture.
Through this highly secured, professional-restricted, online platform, authors
and producers are able to manage and promote their work at local, regional
and international levels. At the same time, UNESCO can stimulate the
distribution of the platforms materials at the international level with
broadcasters, producers, educational institutions and other partners.
The Audiovisual E-Platform was created to empower and enhance
effectiveness of promoting and distributing local content by utilizing the
internet as a medium for communication and delivery.

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